TheWolverine.com is tracking Michigan Wolverines football players who land on preseason watch lists as they begin to be released this month.
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Aidan Hutchinson — Bednarik Award And Nagurski Trophy Watch Lists
Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Nagurski Trophy (July 19) and Bednarik Award (July 27). Both awards are handed out annually to the nation's top defensive player.
A second-team preseason All-American according to Sporting News, and a third-team pick by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, Hutchinson was an All-Big Ten selection in 2019 (third team coaches, honorable mention media), before he was injured and missed the majority of the 2020 campaign. He has played in 29 career games with 16 starts, and has tallied 98 career tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six passes defended and two forced fumbles.
He was the co-recipient (along with Kwity Paye) of Michigan's 2019 Richard Katcher Award, presented to the team's top defensive lineman. He was Michigan's 2018 Rookie of the Year on defense, and has twice been named Academic All-Big Ten (2019 and 2020).
While the junior has two seasons of eligibility left due to last season being deemed a 'free year' by the NCAA, and the fact that he saw action in just three games due to the aforementioned injury, Hutchinson is expected to make the jump to the NFL following this coming campaign. He's projected as a first-round pick by several analysts, including ESPN's Todd McShay, who had Hutchinson going No. 8 overall to the New York Giants in his early 2022 mock draft.
Ronnie Bell — Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Michigan junior wide receiver Ronnie Bell has been named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which is presented each season to the most outstanding receiver in the nation.
An All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree in 2019, Bell has led the Wolverines in receiving yards each of the last two years. In 2020, he paced the club with 26 receptions and 401 yards, and also scored one touchdown, after posting 28 catches for 758 yards and one touchdown in 2019. He has averaged over 15 yards per catch in each of his three seasons in a winged helmet.
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